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Character study of othello
Character study of othello
Essay on Iago manipulations
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While both Othello and Iago are guilty of murder in Shakespeare’s play Othello, Iago is undeniably the villain of the play. Othello tells the story of a Moor general of the same name who marries Desdemona, the daughter of Brabantio, an Italian senator. Using deceit and manipulation, Iago, whose pride has been injured by Othello after he is overlooked for promotion, gets revenge when he convinces Othello that Desdemona has been having an affair with his lieutenant, Cassio. Othello’s jealousy builds until he murders Desdemona in a fit of rage in the final scene. Immediately after, it is revealed that Iago orchestrated the entire plot and he is executed. Iago has been characterized as a Machiavellian villain by numerous authors. Is this a just characterization? In Ken Jacobsen’s article “Iago’s Art of War: The “Machiavellian Moment” in Othello” Jacobsen reasons that Iago is the perfect example of a Machiavellian villain. He thoroughly examines excerpts from Machiavelli’s works and compares it with examples gleaned directly from the play. Jacobsen argues Iago fits the image of a Machiavellian villain as he is strategic, well-spoken, duplicitous and able to understand and manipulate the psychology of others. I would agree with his assessment based on the evidence he presents along with further examples I have found in the play.
In order to determine if Iago conforms to the Machiavellian type first it is necessary to define what the term Machiavellian signifies. Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian politician born in the 15th century during the Renaissance and the term originates from descriptions of politicians in his book The Prince. According to The Free Dictionary by Farlex, Machiavellianism concerns “the principles of government set...
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... the rhetorical term “invention” to characterize the intellectual resourcefulness required in military command” (512). As well, a key factor in Iago’s successful communication is his apparent trustworthiness that is reiterated by different characters throughout the play. He is known by many as “honest Iago” and at one point it is said, “A man he is of honesty and trust” (1.3.284). Jacobsen asserts that “Iago carefully cultivates a reputation appropriate to both orator and general” (508). Without his reputation as an honest man, his claims would go unheeded.
Works Cited
Jacobsen, Ken. “Iago’s Art of War: The “Machiavellian Moment” in Othello.” Modern Philology Vol. 106. No. 3 (February 2009): 497-529. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice. The Necessary Shakespeare. 4th Edition. Ed. David Bevington. Chicago: Pearson, 2012. 611-655. Print.
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York; Washington Square Press, 1993.
Shakespeare, William, and Kim F. Hall. Othello, the Moor of Venice: Texts and Contexts. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. Print.
One might argue that Iago is not a psychopath, but a sociopath. A sociopath is different from a psychopath in the sense that they have the ability to form bonds with others, and their lack of empathy and guilt is much less severe than a psychopath’s. Many would bring up
... still no closer to finding out. Similarly with Iago there is no doubt that he is intelligent and quick-witted and his bitterness and jealousy fuels his plans but to an extent the circumstances played as big a role as the character. Shakespeare created Iago and the circumstances because they reacted well together and made an interesting and exciting plot. So I believe it is fair to say that Iago, as a character is both a good strategician and a lucky opportunist in equal measures.
Iago is not really evil or the vice character he is the misunderstood and wonderful character who can only be seen through a certain lens before it all goes back to black and white and good and evil fights one another for the main stage again. Shakespeare pulled many themes into this story but in all truth I believe that Iago is true main character, not Othello or Cassio, but Iago with all of his problems and vices, he is the truest expression of being human. Works Cited Rosenberg, Marvin. “In Defense of Iago.” Shakespeare Quarterly.
Iago is a twenty- eight years old Caucasian married man and he is a soldier in the Venetian army. Iago is viewed as modest, honest, and a good friend to people in public. People refer to him as “honest Iago” which leads them to trust him. Iago plans to destroy Othello by manipulating him to believe that his wife is being unfaithful to him with his promoted lieutenant Cassio, a position Iago wanted to have.
The play "Othello" by William Shakespeare is based on an Italian story in Giraldi Cinthio's Hecatommithi (Groliers). In "Othello" we encounter Iago, one of Shakespeare's most evil characters. Iago is an ensign in Othello's army and is jealous of Cassio's promotion to Lieutenant. Through deception and appearance, we see unfolded a plethora of lies and clever schemes. The astonishing thing about Iago is that he seems to make up his malicious schemes as he goes along without any forethought. Noted writer Samuel Taylor Coleridge describes Iago's plan as "motive-hunting of a motiveless malignity" (Scott 413). Iago seizes every opportunity to further advance his plan to his advantage. Greed plays a major role as a motive for his various schemes. Throughout the story, Iago portrays himself as a Satan figure. In many ways, Iago can compare with Satan.
Shakespeare, William, and Kim F. Hall. Othello, the Moor of Venice: Texts and Contexts. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. Print.
Iago's manipulative nature has a profound effect on the decisions made by other characters in Shakespeare's ‘Othello’. Through his relations with those around him Shakespear characterizes him as a man full of malice, vengeance and dishonesty that is wholly inspired by jealousy. Furthermore it would appear that Iago has an exceptional ability to scheme, a talent which he uses to snake his way into the lives of others and exploit them through their weaknesses. Whether he does this for profit or for pleasure is a separate issue.
Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice" The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stanley Wells & |Gary Taylor. New York/London, W.W. Norton Company,1997. 2100-2174
Throughout history, there have been many human beings whom have been seen as either a hero or a villain. In their childhood, these people must had obstacles that were in their way, causing each individual to either work harder or give up. People, however; must understand that each individual has a potential in achieving their goals, but if one is mistreated or deceived due to jealousy, resentment, hatred, or ambition, it can lead to many catastrophic events. People who have pride and arrogance do not want to have equals, rather they want to see their victims suffer. These people have no difficulty in achieving their goals due to the fact that their victims have too innocent a nature to suspect the nefarious motives of their enemies. In this tragedy, Othello, Shakespeare has created a villain who behaves in this manner. Iago’s hatred, method of revenge, and vengeful hatred are the reasons of the lives lost in this play and the reasons that lead to Iago’s downfall.
Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice." The Signet Classic Shakespeare. Ed. Alvin Kernan. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1998.
Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. The Oxford Shakespeare Complete. 2ndnd ed. USA: Oxford University Press, 2005. 4329-504. Web. 14 Dec. 2013.
In Shakespeare’s Othello, Iago is the antagonist and villain who causes all the trouble and disorder. Othello is the protagonist, and is the main person Iago’s destruction and revenge is aimed towards. Othello is naïve and gives everybody his trust even though he may not know them or they haven’t earned his trust yet. He often refers to Iago has “Honest” Iago, which is a direct showing of irony because Iago is not honest at all (Shakespeare, I, iii. 289). Iago is so angry that Othello didn’t give him the promotion that was given to Cassio that he plans to seek revenge against Othello. He seeks his revenge against Othello by manipulating and lying to all of the people around him including his closest friend Roderigo, Cassio, Othello’s wife Desdemona and even his own wife Emilia. In the end, Iago’s lies and manipulation led to the deaths of Roderigo, Emilia, Othello and Desdemona. This isn’t the first time many of these individual characteristics have shown up in one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Iago has been excellent at saying the what is needed to get to people, he misleads them to get a reaction he wants out of them. He is clever with his words to avoid confrontation that can easily happen. “Othello 's confusion is the human experience of language. In other words, language itself, not the outside world, determines meaning” (Christofides 2). Iago uses his words against Othello to get him to do Iago’s doings. Iago has an eloquence with